Washing-machine



No. 609,550; P

atented A f w. T. KING. "g 23 |398 WASHING MACHINE.

(Application med July s, 1897.)

Wi'fgesszs @y his Allomyzys,

Nrrn SfrrrlfltsA 'PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM T. KING, OF TALLAPOOSA, GEORGIA.

WASHING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 609,550, datedAugust23, 1898.

Appiianon nea July 8,1897. semina. 643,870. (Model.)

.To a/ZZ whom, it may concern: e i

Be itknown that LWILLIAM T. KING, acitizen of the United States,residing at Tallapoosa, in thecounty of Haralson and State of Georgia,have invented a new and useful 4 Washing-Machine, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates to washing-machines which operate by the combinedaction of a pounder and the forced circulation of steam and suds-waterthrough the clothing or articles undergoing treatmentin oppositedirections. l A

The invention consists of the novel instrumentalities for attaining theend in view; and for a full understanding of the merits and advantagesof the invention reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings andthe following description.

The improvement is susceptible of various changes in the form,proportion, and the minor details of construction without departing fromthe principle or sacricing any of the advantages thereof, and to a fulldisclosure of the invention an adaptation 1thereof is shown in theaccompanying'drawings, in Which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of awashingmachine of special design `for attaining the objects of thisinvention. Fig. 2 is a vertical central section thereof. Fig. 3 isaperspective view of the inner vessel detached from the boiler andinverted. Fig. 4 isa perspective view of the combined plunger andpounder` as it appears when inverted.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription and indicated in the several views of the drawings by thesame reference characters.

The boiler 1 for containing the suds-water may be of suitable size andshape and, as shown, is of cylindrical form and is closed at its upperend by a conical cover 2, held in place by fastenings 3 and centrallyapertured for the passage of the stem 4, bearing the combined plungerand pounder 5. A bracket 6 is secured to a side of the boiler at itsupper end, and a link 7 has pivotal connection at its lower end with thebracket, and its upper end receives the short arm of alever 8, which ispivoted thereto and to the upper end of the stem 4f, and by means ofwhich the plunger is reciprocated in the boiler.

` A vessel 9 is removably tted within the boiler and is provided at itslower side with supports 10, which rest upon the bottom of the boilerand hold the vessel a short distance therefrom, so as to leave a spacebetween the opposing sides of the bottoms. The inner vessel issmallerthan the boiler, so as to provide a space l1 between the opposing sides,which is closed at its upper end by an outer flange 12 of the innervessel, said flange being formed by` turning the upper end portion ofthe sides of the vessel outward, as indicated.. A series of perforations13 are formed in the sidesA of the vessel a short distancefrom the outerflange 12` and establish communication between the space 11 and theinterior of the vessel and upper portion of the boiler for the escape ofsteam and egress and ingress of the suds-water. The bottom of the vesselis centrally perforated, and a plate 14 spans the perforations and issoldered or otherwise secured at its terminals to the bottom of thevessel, upon opposite sides of the perforations, and forms a lguard toprevent the clothing crowding upon the openings and serves as a handleto admit of the vesselbeing removed when desired. Avalve 15 closesupwardlyagainst the bottom of the vessel 9 and is held in place innotches formed in the upper edges of the supports 10, the latter beingmetallic strips bent into an approXimatelyV form and secured to thebottom of the vessel in radial disposition, substantially asillustrated.

The plunger comprises a conical-shape plate 16, having a dependingflange, and is secured centrally to the stem 4 a short distance from itslower end. Beaters or pounders 17, consisting of strips or bars, connectthe lower end of the stern 4 with the edge portion of the plate ,16 andcomprise vertical. members 18 and horizontal members 19, the latterbeing iiuted, crimped, or corrugated, so as to press upon the clothingorarticles in such a manner as to secure a positive movement of thes-uds-water therethrough by a squeezing or compressing action. Thesebeaters mutually cooperate to stien and strengthen the lower end of thestem 4 and the outer edge IOO 4o assist the operation of wwashing.

of the plate 16 and are adapted to enter the upper portion of the vessel9, the plate being of a size to engage with the outer ange 12 and belimited in its downward movement thereby. A valve 20 closes upwardlyagainst the lower end of the stem 11 and is retained in place by a cage2l, consisting of crossing wires secured at their bent ends to the innerends of the horizontal members 19. The stem 4, which is tubular, isclosed at its upper end, and a series of openings 22 are formed in itssides above the conical plate 1G for the passage of air and steam.

The clothing or other articles to be washed are placed in the vessel 9,and the boiler is supplied with a suitable quantity of suds- Water,after which the plunger, with the cover,

is placed in position, when the machine is in condition for operation,the cover being secured against accidental displacement by the fasteners3. When heat is supplied to the boiler 1 and the water begins to boil,steam will pass through the openings at the valve 15, and as the boilingcontinues the steam will accumulate and seat the valve, thereby causingsteam and the water to pass up into the space 11 and through theopenings 13. In ashort time the upward pressure within the receptacle 9and above the valve will exceed the pressure upon the lower face of thelatter, and the valve will open and permit the suds-water to flow fromthe vessel 9 into the space ll. When this water again boils, the

valve will be closed and the above-described circulation of water willbe repeated, the action of the valve being automatic.

The plunger fits snugly within the boiler, and the lower iiuted portionsstrike the clothes and operate similar to a clothes-pounder and Thevalve 2O closes on the downstroke and opens on the upstroke to relievethe pressure and thereby radial strips secured to the bottom of thevessel and forming supports therefor and having their inner upper edgesnotched, a valve operating in the space formed by notching thesupporting-strips and closing against the bottom of the vessel, and aplate vspanning the valve-controlled perforate portion of the bottom ofthe said vessel and secured at its eX- tremities thereto and serving asa'guard and handle, substantially as set forth.

2. In a washing-machine, the combination of a boiler, a vessel locatedwithin the lower portion of the boiler and having a space between itsbottom and sides and the correspond` ing parts of the boiler, andprovided in its bottom with a valve-controlled opening,a plungeroperating in the upper portion of the boiler and comprising a hollowstem having openings in its sides above the plunger-head, and

a valve for closing the lower end of the stem, substantially as and forthe purpose set forth. In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my ownI have hereto affixed my signature inl the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM T. KING.

Witnesses:

HERMAN H. FRENCH, AUGUST C. EGLE.

